Safety appliance for oil-well tubing.



S. A.I GUIBERSON, JR. SAFETY APPLIANGB PoR oIL WELL TUBING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1911.

Patented Jan. 14,1913.

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WiTE-ES i FFME.

SAMUEL A. GUIBERSON, JR., OF COALINGA, CALIFORNIA.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR OIL-WELL TUBING.

To all whom, t may concern.'

Be it kno-wn that I, SAMUEL A. GUIBER- soN, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Coalinga, in the county of Fresno and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SafetyAppliances for Oil-l/Vell Tubing, of which the following is aspecification.

During the pumping of oil from wells, the tubing within the well casingusually terminates at a point some distance from the bottom of the well.During the pumping operation, the sand carried within the pumped oilacts against. the inner wall surface of the tubing and the sucker-rodduring its pumping stroke impinges against the said wall surface withthe result that the casing being weakened by the cutting action of thesand and the frictional wear of the sucker-rod to which it is subjected,breaks and falls to the bottom of the well, and becoming bent, distortedand twist-ed within the well casing, cuts through the wall thereof tothe destruct-ion of the well casing and ofttimes proves ruinous to theWell. This breaking and dropping of the said tubing not only occurs dueto the reason given, but also is occasioned by the breaking of thetubing line of the elevators permitting the tubing supported thereby todrop, or by the sudden dropping of the sucker-rod within the tubingcausing a breakage of the connecting couplings, permitting a fall of thetubing below such point of breakage, or the dropping may result by thepumping strain placed onto a defective joint-section of the tubing.

The object of the present invention is to hold the inner tubing lockedwit-hin and to the well casing at a point below the pumpbarrel, so thatin case of the said tubing becoming unduly worn and weakened to thebreaking point, for any reason whatever, the same cannot drop within thecasing from its adjusted or locked position; although the lock devicedoes not in any manner interfere with the free removal of the tubingfrom within the well casing, it does prevent the dropping in case thelifting means should become broken or detached fro-m the said tubingduring the withdrawal thereof.

To comprehend the invention reference should be had to the accompanyingsheet of drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view illus-Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led August 4, 1911.

'through which the sucker-rod works.

Patented Jan. 14, 1913. serial No. 642,247. l

trating the locking means within the well casing and in a cle-sedposition. F ig. 2 is a similar view disclosing the locking means inlocked engagement with the well casing. Fig. 3 is a detail view of oneof the lockingjaws or dogs, and a portion of the ring to which it ishinged.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate an ordinary wellcasing fitted within an oil well, and 2 the lower end portion of thepump barrel united in the usual manner to the tubing within the casingThe part 2 may constitute a nipple extension secured to the lower end ofthe pump barrel or a downward extension thereof, the lower end of whichis screw-threaded to receive the screw-threaded end of a ring 3, of adiameter slightly less than the interior diameter of the well casing 1.The ring 3 is preferably formed on its outer face with the enlargedportions 4, each of which is provided with a bearing seat 5 for thereception of the head 6 of a swinging jaw or dog 7, which head G isslotted transversely to embrace or straddle an ear 8 outwardlyprojecting from the enlarged portion 4, and the jaw or dog is hingedthereto by means of a pin 9 passing through a central bore in the head 6and ear 8. As thus mounted, each jaw or dog 7 is free for. outwardswinging movement on the securing means therefor being severed orbroken. 1n the present case, the swinging jaws or dogs are forcedoutwardly by the pressure of the retained springs 10 actingthereagainst. Each spring rests at one end within a seat 11 provided inthe outer face of the ring 3 for the reception thereof, its opposite endacting against the inner face of the swinging jaw or dog 7, the saidjaws or dogs when drawn inwardly or in closed position holding thesprings 10 in compression, it being understood that there is a springfor each of the lock-jaws or dogs 7 The aws or dogs are held in closedposition by means of the cross tie rod 12, which extends through bores13 in the ring or collar 8, and are held to the respect-ive jaws or dogs7 by a securing pin 14. Preferably, the outer face of each jaw or dog isprovided with transversely disposed teeth 15, which, when the jaws ordogs are thrown outwardly act against the inner wall surface of thecasing 1 and prevent the downward slippage of the tubing on the weightofthe pumped oil being placed thereon. While a cam-shaped jaw or dog? ispreferred, as illustrated in the drawing, still the same may be givenany shape suitable for the work desired. ein extension 16 foiI thecarrying or supporting of an anchor for the tubing is illustrated in thedrawing as screwed into the lower end of the ring 8, but this is notessential.

In applying the loclr means to the well casing, the ring 8 is secured tothe lower end of the pump barrel prior to its insertion within thecasing, and the same Gradually lowered within the casingas sections areadded in the usual manner to the tubing. When the tubing has beenlowered to the desired distance within the well casing, the same is heldsuspended therein temporarily and a suitable tool or weight lowered intothe tubing with sufiicient force to cause the same to strike the crosstie rod l2, which may be constructed of any suitable material, a suddenblow to cause the rupture or breakage thereof, when the pressure of thereleased compressed springs l0 forces outwardly the swinging cam aws ordogs into engagement with the inner wall surface of the casing l, which,on the supported tubing being released, holds the line of tubingsecurely locked against downward movement within the casing. Thesevering` tool being removed, the sucker-rod carrying the usual valvefor the pump barrel is inserted into the tubing held locked againstdownward movement within the well casing. lVith the tubing thuspositioned and locked to the well casing the dropping thereof isprovided against, thus overcoming the defeet in connection with thepresent method of suspending the tubing in the well casing. lVhile thecasing is held absolutely locked against downward movement, the springheld jaws or dogs will give inwardly to release the tubing for theremoval or withdrawal thereof from the well casing. hile two lock jawsor pawls are illustrated for securing the tubing in locked position, itis obvious that any desired number of such jaws or pawls may beemployed.

It will be understood that the part 2 constitutes the lower end or endextension of the tubing within which the sucker-rod works, the said rodand tubing being of the usual construction, no description orillustration thereof being required for an understanding of the presentinvention, which relates solely to an automatic safety lock devicecarried by the tubing for preventing the dropping thereof to the bott-omof the well in case of the same breaking for any reason whatever.

I am aware that the details of construeA tion herein shown and describedmay be varied withoutcreating a departure from the invention, and I donot wish to be understood as confining myself to the illust-rated anddescribed arrangement of parts.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be pro tected by Letters Patent is- A safety attachment for lockingthe lower end of a tubing wit-hin a well casing to prevent downwardmovement of the tubing therein, the same comprising a hollow cylindricalcoupling provided at its upper and lower ends with suitablescrew-threads, the upper end thereof adapted to be threaded onto thelower end of a well tubing and the lower end adapted to be threaded ontothe upper end of a supporting anchor, pivotally mounted loclr jawsarranged in seats provided on the exterior of said coupling, said jawsprovided on their outer faces with transversely disposed teeth and alsoprovided adjacent the lower end of their inner faces with a springreceiving recess, corresponding spring receiving recesses formed in theexterior of said coupling adjacent the lower end of said jaws, coiledcompression springs interposed between said coupling and said pivotallymounted aws, and seated in said recesses, said springs adapted to forcesaid jaws into locked engagement with the well casing to prevent adownward movement of the tube therein, and a break* able tie rodcontrolling the release of said spring actuated jaws, said rod arrangedtransversely of said coupling, the opposite ends thereof projectingthrough openings provided within the recesses in the outer face of saidcoupling and through the coiled springs and mounted in said aws withinthe recess formed within the inner face thereof.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL A. GUIBERSON, JR.

Witnesses:

N. A. Annen, D. B. RICHARDS.

Copies et this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

